ATLA Book 1: Water
by Alpha female 01
Summary: The characters appearances are based off of people in my life. No names will be given. This is edited to be a Zutara flick. Some gender benders.
1. Prolouge

_**Prologue**_

**Water Tribe**

Water, Earth, Fire, Air. My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days, a time of peace. A time where the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom and Air Nomads, but that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four of the elements. Only he could stop the fearsome fire benders. However, when the world needed him the most…

He vanished. A hundred years have passed and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war.

About two years ago my father and the elder men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to fight against the Fire Nation. By doing this the only men in our tribe were some of the children, my adopted brother, and me, Taroka. Before they left, my father, chief of our tribe, told us to look after the village while they were gone.

Some people think that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air nomads, therefore breaking the cycle. Sometimes, very little, I agree with this theory, if the Avatar was reborn, then where is he. Can he not see the pain we have suffered? But I still believe; I still carry hope, though little is found nowadays. I still believe that somehow in some way, shape or form that the Avatar will come… and save the world.

**Fire Nation**

Fire, Water, Earth, Air. My mother used to tell me of day before we invaded, a time of weakness. A time where the Avatar was in the way of us giving the prosperity of our nation to the others, Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom and Air nomads, but that all changed when my great, great grandfather proclaimed war on the other nations. Only the Avatar, master of all four of the elements could stop us but when they needed him most…

He vanished. A century later our great nation has neared victory in this pointless war.

Three years ago, after my twelfth year, I spoke out at against one of my father's generals for the absurd idea of a plan to invade an Earth Kingdom village, or something. Sometimes I can't remember, anyway. I was stripped of my honor and banished never to return to my home nation, not to my Fire Nation bed, not to my boyfriend, not to my home since I was a child and was made to wear a scar over my left eye.

However if I were to find the Avatar then I was to bring him or her to the Fire Nation and to my father therefore restoring my honor. Some say that I will never come back because I would never find the Avatar. Since the Fire Nation eliminated the Air Nomads completely, it seemed almost impossible. Sometimes I believe them. My father always said my older brother was born lucky while I was lucky to be born. But I haven't lost hope, though there is little to be found in times like these. I still believe that I, Princess Zuka, will find the Avatar… and regain my honor.

**Earth Kingdom**

Earth, Fire, Water, Air. My maids used to read me stories about the days where everyone was happy and free. When the Avatar kept peace with the Earth Kingdom, Air Nomads, Fire Nation and Water Tribe, but that all changed when the Fire flakes attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them but when we needed him the most…

He vanished. A century later and the Fire flakes are winning in the war.

It's been twelve years since my parents and I, Toph Bei Fong, discovered that I was able to Earthbend. But Dad wasn't exactly happy of my talents, even though I could see with Earthbending, even though I was blind. And it's been twelve years that they'd tried to hide my abilities but, of course, like any rebellious teenager I didn't want to hide. I wanted to show off my skills. Then a man named Xin Fu, or as I like to call him, Loud Mouth, discovered me Earthbending outside city limits and took me to the Earth Rumble and was taught by Master Yu about Earthbending.

Some hear some people whisper that the Avatar will never come back because the stupid Fire flakes killed them all. But I still think that the Avatar will be back to the world and save it. So that I can have the freedom to do my bending openly and I won't have to hide under a different alias.

**Air Nomads**

Air, Earth, Fire, Water. Not too long all for nations lived in harmony with each other. The Air Nomads played with lemur bats and sky bison and they would play Air Ball. The Earth Kingdom was having a lot of Earth Rumbles as they did every year and construct building. The Water Tribes played penguin sledding and practice their Waterbending to get better. The Fire Nation had their Ember Players doing their plays and their carnivals.

But that all changed when Fire Lord Sozin started the war and has already continued on with his son after he died about a month ago. Fire Lord Azulon, only at seventeen years, has already raided the Southern Water Tribe once, enslaved a fraction of the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation has yet to see the Air Nomads as a threat to their tyranny.

I, Yaanga, named after an Avatar before me, have left the Southern Air Temple. I had left about a week ago with my sky bison, Appa, so to try and escape my ways as the Avatar. I was afraid to face the Fire Lord, he knows so much about Firebending while I have so little knowledge of any other element excluding Airbending.

Will I ever go back to the place of which I was born? Will I ever face the Fire Lord? There is no way to know for certain if I will or won't, but if I do, let me be older and stronger than I am now.

* * *

First ATLA fanfic. I had a friend of mine edit this for me and she is helping me. Comment with constuctive critism.


	2. The Girl in the Ice

**The Girl in the Ice**

White snow covered the Ice Mountains, blue waters around them, showing their reflections. Silence was draped across the land and penguin-seals played all over the ice pieces on a sapphire blanket. It had been six years since the Southern Water Tribe was raided by Fire Nation soldiers and nearly two years since the older men of the Southern Water Tribe left to help the Earth kingdom.

They were in a small canoe, one boy holding a spear waiting for a fish to come by and the other crossing his arms at his adopted brother. Both were wearing the traditional winter coat of their tribe. The adopted male was tall for men at his age and his skin was only slightly tan. He had blue eyes, like the men of the Water Tribes, but he had the hair like the sun with shades of browns in the mix, held back in a wolf tail. The other male, native to the environment, was slightly shorter than his adopted brother and he too had the eyes of his tribe. His hair was in a wolf tail as well but it hung lower and with strands of hair decorated on the right of his face. He was baring a betrothal necklace around his wrist of which he wore for his mother.

"I'm going to get it this time", announced the taller one, quickly, to his short adopted brother. "Now, watch and learn, Taroka, this is how you catch a fish. You have to get it at just the right angle…" Taroka rolled his eyes at the snow colored boy in front of him.

"Sokka, just because you prefer weaponry more than me doesn't mean that I don't know how to use them", countered Taroka in a matter-a-fact tone. Sokka shushed Taroka so he wouldn't scare the fish away… again. Taroka let his eyes wonder and they landed on a big fish swimming by the canoe. He looked back at Sokka to find the 'warrior' preoccupied with his fish. Taroka took off one of his gloves and, after taking a deep breath, started to manipulate the water around the fish raising the water and the fish out of the ocean and to the young Waterbender. "Sokka", exclaimed Taroka, keeping his eye focused on the scaled creature.

"Shh, Taroka, you'll scare the fish away", Sokka licked his lips in hunger, "I can already smell it cookin'." It was then that the shorter Waterbender turned to show Sokka what he had done.

"But, Sokka, I caught one!"

However, Taroka raised the water container too high as Sokka raised his spear to strike, popping the water capsule and releasing the fish into the ocean as well as soaking Sokka. "Why is it that every time you play with water magic, I get soaked", glared Sokka at his adoptive brother on the other side of the canoe.

"It's not called 'water magic', its called Water_**bending**_", corrected Taroka. He was always annoyed by the fact that his brother never called Waterbending by its rightful name. "And it's…"

"Yeah, Yeah an ancient art, unique our culture, blah, blah, blah", he listed lamely, as he had heard this a thousand times by Taroka. Sokka did not care in the least about Waterbending, since he was so special to the tribe when they were little. "Look, all I'm saying is if I had magic powers, I'd keep them and my weirdness to myself. Instead of splashing others with water." He tried to dry out his hair from his wolf's tail, and then saw his reflection, lifted his sleeve and flexed his arm. Taroka chuckled at the grinning warrior.

"_You_ are calling_ me_ weird", he countered as he spoke, "I'm not the one who makes muscles at MYSELF _EVERY TIME _I see my own reflection. Besides you're doing it wrong."

Sokka looked back and glared at Taroka before chuckling himself. Suddenly they hit a block of ice sending them in a current that went through a belt of ice blocks. Sokka and Taroka tried to paddle their way out of the field of frozen water while the grand block tried to crush them on every turn. Until two blocks of ice in front of them were starting to close, "Look out, come on Sokka paddle hard!" An iceberg was coming on the right, "Go left!" But eventually the canoe was crushed and the two had to jump on another ice block. Taroka glared at Sokka, whose spear stood next to him and was pouting. "You call that a left!"

"Don't like my steering", he asked sarcastically. "Well maybe next time, when we face a life or death situation, you should use your damn water magic to bring us to safety."

"Oh, so it's my fault, naturally", Taroka calculated as he stood up and crossed his arms.

"I knew I should have left you back home", he complained, ignoring his brother's response. "Leave it to a girly boy to mess up a warriors work." Taroka snapped then, gritting his teeth and pulling at his hair.

"You are the most sexist, immature, nut brained", Taroka started to rant as through his arms from above his head to his sides to emphasize his words. "I'm embarrassed that I'm part of the same damn tribe as you!" As the Waterbender ranted and yelled, he unknowingly unleashed a wave the large iceberg behind them. However, Sokka did notice when he looked up at the berg starting to crack. "Ever since Mom died, I have been doing ALL the house work BY MYSELF! While you Mr. Kelp-For-Brains are off playing solider with the little kids."

Sokka's blue eyes widened at the sight behind the Waterbending teenager. "Uh… Taroka", tried to point timidly like a child that was afraid to ask what something was.

"I even wash the clothes", the mocha skinned boy exclaimed. "Have you ever smelled those dirty socks of yours? Let me tell ya… NOT PLEASENT", he yelled at the non-bender, Taroka again unknowingly cracking the ice behind them more.

"Taroka, calm down", said Sokka with a squeaking voice.

"No FUCKIN' WAY, THAT'S IT I'M DONE BEING THE FUCKIN' IGLOO MAID! FROM NOW ON YOU ARE. ON. YOUR. OWN!" With that final word and the last slash of her arm, Taroka had complete went through the iceberg and he finally saw the fear on Sokka's face. He then turned to find the tower of ice collapse like a smashed snowball. He looked at the effect, pushing the water and block holding the two Water Tribe people.

As soon as the water settled like a path across the ocean Sokka looked to Taroka and said, "Damn you just gone from weird Water man to Freakish Water Psycho, Taroka."

Taroka stared at the empty space where the tower iceberg used to be. "You mean, that shit was me", the Waterbender asked ridiculously.

"Yep congratulations", a baby blue light started to form under them growing larger and larger as if something powerful was raising from the depths of the great sea. The two boys backed away from the edge of the block they had stayed on and stood up in the middle. Their hearts raced, eyes grew as big as the growing light and bubbles rose, sweat was dropped, and Sokka was close to wetting himself.

Finally it broke the surface and out popped a smaller monument of frozen water. Taroka took a step forward taking a better look at the figures inside the ice. He saw glowing arrows on the small figure and what looked like a large animal. Taroka lifted his brow, confused at what he saw in block. Suddenly the arrows glowed brighter than before and the eyes opened with the same eerie glow as the arrows. The two gasped but Taroka took action, "It's alive", he wasn't sure if it was male or female. "We have to help", he proclaimed taking Sokka's club, one of the gifts from their father.

Sokka called out for Taroka to stop and be reasonable as he grabbed his spear but as always Taroka would not listen to the pale Water Tribe boy. Taroka slammed the club as hard as he could against the thick ice. After five slams, air hissed out at them and breaking the ice in two. The explosion released a large stream of light to the heavens. Nearby Tiger-seals seemed to be howling at the sight.

**Meanwhile on a Fire Nation ship**

A fifteen year old girl looked down at the ice water, down on her hope of finding the Avatar like she had promised to in exchange for her to have her honor. Suddenly, a beam of light like a ribbon of hope came from the ground and reached for the heavens. Her full, dark brown hair bordering the black of midnight was whipping through the air in the ponytail. Her pale complexion complimenting her amber eyes that widened, even the scar that she bared on her left eye, had widened slightly.

As the beam stood, the surprised look on her face had faded away. "Finally," she breathed as glared at the light, and then turned to her Uncle. "Uncle Iroh! Do you realize what this means?"

Uncle Iroh was a rather round man, whom loved his tea, he kept her down on her feet, kept her hope and spirit up. But the man was fickle sometimes and was too relaxed for his own good. Sometimes she could not understand what he was saying with his riddles. He had a gray train that ended at his right below the shoulder blades, though there were a few blonde and brown hairs here and there.

At the moment Iroh was leaning over small table with his legs crossed while playing a game. "I won't get to finish my game", he retorted drily, looking up to meet golden eyes with his niece. The princess only turned back to the sky, a little hurt that her Uncle did not take this as seriously as it should.

"Well yes but it also means that my search is about to come to an end", she preached as she started at that beam of hope. Iroh did something between a groan and a sigh, then continued his game but the banished princess kept her gaze as the light faded, "That light came from a very powerful source. It has to be him."

"Or", started the older man, "it could be the Celestial light. We have been on this path before Princess Zuka. I do not wish for you to get too excited over nothing." He stopped his game to pay full attention to his abused niece and gestured to the table. "Come, why don't sit down with your old uncle and enjoy some nice, calming Jasmine Tea. I made it, myself, this morning", suggested the tea lover.

"Uncle", Zuka tried to stay calm but was still showing a threat in her words. "With all-do respect I don't need any calming tea. What I need is the Avatar." Zuka looked up at the ship's driver and commanded, "Houdsman set a course for the light!"

'Zuka I wish you would relax if only for a moment', thought Iroh sadly as he was playing his game. Then a dust of wind blew past them both, moving all of the princess's hair and the chips on the table.

**Back with Taroka and Sokka**

The mist cleared and the crater of ice came to view the two boys set themselves at battle stance, Sokka with his spear and Taroka ready fight with fists. Soon a figure with long hair, glowing arrows and eyes looked down at them. The stream of light had started to disappear making the figure easier to see. It looked ready to fight so Sokka shouted, "Stop!" As soon as he spoke the glowing ceased and the shadow turned into a young girl and fell to the ground with groan.

Taroka gaped and rushed to the body before she hit the ground, making sure she was still breathing. Sokka was… less generous and poked the girl in the head with the handle end of the spear. Taroka ordered Sokka to stop and he obeyed as they both looked at the unknown girl. Her long golden hair, similar to Sokka's, ran across the surface of the ice like a halo, blue arrow tattoos all over her body, the largest one on her forehead. Her clothes were colors of orange and yellow, obviously not from around the Water Tribe. She looked no older than twelve or thirteen. Slowly she opened her eyes to be met by sparkling sapphires and chocolate skin and hair.

"I have to ask you something", she spoke weakly with heavy lid eyes.

"Yes, what is it," asked the Waterbender.

"Please come closer", Taroka leaned in intent to know what was wrong. When the young girl knew she had his attention she spoke again in a stronger and playful voice, "Would you like to go Penguin sledding with me." The Waterbender was taken quite off guard by this but nodded out of his confusion. As soon as the dark skinned boy nodded the unknown girl somehow got up to her feet without using arms or legs. "What's going on", she asked looking around the sky.

"You tell us", spoke Sokka dangerously, "girl." Taroka shook his head, could his brother not think of something better. "How the hell did you get in the ice? And why are not frozen", he asked as he poked the girls stomach.

"I… I am not really sure", she answered simply. She gasped as the sound of a groan accord, the preppy girl ran up the hill of ice into the cavern. "Rudy", the girl exclaimed flying to the large sleeping animal, "You're alright!" Seeing the black furred and white arrowed creature would not move, so she tried to wake her up. She tried to lift her mouth open, though she was not very strong. The two Water Tribe boys walked around the blockade to find the friendly stranger lifting a large beast's lip.

The large beast yawned tiredly and lifting the small girl with his tongue, making her laugh. Sokka came forward with his spear with Taroka right next to him, "What is that thing?"

"This Rudy, my flying bison", she said simply.

"Right", the warrior said sarcastically then pointed to his brother, "and this Taroka my flying brother." Taroka gave the blond a 'are-you-serious' look. The girl looked him strangely suddenly Ruby sneezed, blasting snort at the non-bender, who tried to wipe it off as much as he could. The little girl giggled at the young man's dismay.

"Don't worry that will wash right off", the warrior tried to get it off his cheek, "So do you two live around here?" The spear suddenly pointed straight at her face.

"Don't answer that", commanded Sokka, "for all we know, she could've sent that beam of light to signal the Fire Navy." Taroka only rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Oh yeah, of course, she's a spy for the Fire navy. You can tell by the _evil _look in her eye", Taroka spoke sarcastically. Once both teens' eyes were on her, she batted her own to portray innocence. "The paranoid one is my adopted brother, Sokka. You never told us your name."

The young girl blush at the rather good looking boy and tried to answer before sneezing, "I'm Ya… Yaa… YACHOO!" She flew up in the air and then floated back down. This time she answered complete, still with her blush, "My name's Yaanga."

Sokka let his jaw drop in amazement, he couldn't believe his eyes and neither did Taroka. "You just sneezed and flew, like, ten feet in the air", exclaimed Sokka.

Yaanga looked curiously at the sky, "Really? It felt higher than that." Taroka widened his eyes in realization and a bit of hope.

"You're an Airbender", he said dumbly, more to himself than to the others.

Yaaga made a pose of pride as she made her statement clear, "I sure am."

Sokka ran his fingers through his wolf tail in frustration and disbelief, "Giant light beams, flying bison, Airbenders." He started to walk away to get away from the madness of the group behind him. "I'm going back to the village where things actually make", he paused when he saw there was no path, "sense."

Yaanga looked at the older boy with a caring eye and motioned to Rudy, "Rudy and I can give you a lift." Her offer made the Waterbender chuckle at her preppy voice much like the girls of their village had when they walked by, being the only men at the village. Taroka nodded his thanks to the young one and climbed his way up to the saddle.

Sokka still didn't trust the newcomer that was previously in the ice. "Hell no, there is no fuckin' way we are going on that thing." Yaanga was a bit put off by this language of which the monks of her temple always said never to use. Taroka simply looked at the white warrior with a look that made his annoyance obvious to the world. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. How stupid could he get, really? "Besides, I'm sure that somebody will come and save me." Oh that stupid.

"You mean before you freeze to death", countered Taroka, waiting for his witty come back that would never happen. Sokka was trying to think of one before he realized his defeat was inevitable and climbed up the great beast like a child not get his sea prunes. Yaanga kept her permanent smile on her face and her eyes still glittered in wonderment.

"All right", she announced with her upbeat attitude, "first time flyers, hold on tight. YIP, YIP!" With that Rudy seemed to preparing for the big event, tail went up then down, all six knees were crouched down to the floor ready to pounce. Then Rudy jumped into the air, only to flop into the water. Sokka looked unimpressed to say the least and Taroka just had his legs crossed and his arms out of the saddle.

"Wow. That was amazing", said Sokka sarcastically as he fiddle with his spear.

"Don't worry, Rudy's just tired. One he's rested, he'll be flying through the great blue sky. You'll see", Yaanga prophesied with hand motions. Taroka just lay back oblivious to the pair of grey spheres watching him.

**Meanwhile on a Fire Nation ship**

Zuka slouched over the railing with her long her, the same length as her uncle's, blowing in the night air like a perfect sheet of dark brown silk. She was looking at the Celestial lights dancing across the sky in a contemporary dance again like she did every night. Waiting, waiting for a sign, sound of a hawk, a piece of floating paper, even, but as always nothing came. She heard footsteps of an old man, how she knew was simple.

This happened every time she was up late; it was basically an unbroken circle never to stop. "I'm going to bed now", said the tea loving man behind her, she did not move. Then he faked yawned and spoke again, "Soo tired." None of it worked Iroh sighed at his niece, then walked towards her. He looked up at the sky with her knowing her dilemma all too well, "He hasn't written back, has he?" Zuka remained silent but shook her head no in response. "Perhaps his messenger hawk is lost, we have been moving a lot as of late." Zuka didn't move, not a sound came from her. "Get some rest soon, Princess", he said finally before kissing her scared cheek fatherly and started to walk away.

"I truly believe that I'll catch the Avatar, Uncle", spoke the banished Princess, sounding more to herself than her uncle. Iroh stopped in half step when hearing his niece's pledge. The old man looked at the young girl with dull fire in his golden hues.

"Zuka, even if you are right and the Avatar is here, alive no less, you won't be able to find him," he started, "Your Father, Grandfather and even your Great Grandfather have tried and all have failed."

"That's because none of their honor hinged on his capture. Mine does, and his one hundred years of cowardice hiding are over." Tension filled the air like a smoke from the boiler room.

But before the old man could say anything, the determined young lady was already asleep on the railing, 'I am getting to old for this.' Iroh took the princess of the Fire Nation, partly carrying her, to her majesty's room on the ship. As she lay there on the bed, Iroh couldn't help but notice that his niece looked so much like his sister-in-law, minus the scar of course but still. How the years have gone by?

**Next day**

Yaanga awakened with a start after having such a dream as that terror. The Airbender was in such a daze before getting looking at her surroundings, a tent the same color as her clothes which hung a string above her like chandelier. Quickly, she got herself dressed as if it were an emergency; suddenly a voice came to her ears. "Are you decent", asked the Waterbender from outside the tent. Her eyes went dreamy as his musical voice came to her ears and wished for it to come again. "Hey, are you awake?"

"Yes, I'm awake", answered the twelve year old making her way to the sheet door. "So are we going Penguin Sledding or not?" Taroka looked at the younger girl's large grey pearls that stared up at him with hope. Why was she staring at him like that? Was there something wrong with him or something of that sort?

"Later, first I want you to meet the village", the black haired boy proclaimed, dragging Yaanga to the middle of the village where all the residence was present. "Yaanga, this is the entire village. Everyone, this is Yaanga." Yaanga smiled at such attention given to her, she waved politely.

"Hello", she bowed; everyone stared wonderingly at her like a new discovery. Yaanga was slightly hurt by this, why were they so lenient of her? Did she smell? "Why do they look so scared", asked the Airbender, showing slight hurt in her grey pools. A women in her old age stepped up from the crowd with a wrinkled, deadpan face and a monotone voice. Her hair was in loops like many of the women in the village but her hair had faded to grayish white with dark strands of hair in the mix.

"It's because the children have never seen a Airbender, even the adults have not seen one for years. Everyone thought they were extinct. That is until my grandsons found you", Yaanga looked at the women with confusion painted on her pale face and repeated 'extinct' to herself under her breath.

"This is my grandmother, Kanna", introduced the Water Tribe boy, not seeing the shocked and confused face on the guest's face. Taroka could sense some distress from the girl but chose to ignore the state she was in; she would get over it soon.

"Call me, Gran-Gran", said the aged woman with a blank expression on her tanned face. Behind the two benders, Sokka let his curiosity get the better of him as he stood up from his spot by the tent and snatched the staff of which she was holding.

"What is this thing", asked Sokka rudely, "Some kind of weapon? You can't stab anything with this." He twirled it around his hands as if testing its unknown power. Yaanga somewhat giggled at the warrior and used Airbending to suck the staff back in her hand and out of his.

"It's not for fighting, it's for Airbending silly", she explained as wings popped out of the staff. The children giggled at the gesture and called it magic because of the new wonder shown before their very eyes, but Yaanga corrected them. "No, not magic, Airbending. This device lets me control the air currents around my glider to fly." She demonstrated what that would look like by moving the glider with her hands.

The skeptical warrior, of course, shared his oh, so brilliant knowledge of the world. "You know, the last time I checked humans can't fly", he said passionately.

Yaanga got into the ready position for lift off before saying, "Well then you might want to check again." After that she took off into the air flying like a sea raven on winter breeze. Everyone looked at the girl's performance with excited eyes except for Gran-Gran whom stayed in her monotone state. But Yaanga's eyes only landed on Taroka; seeing his amazement made her all the more happy, so happy in fact she didn't see where see was flying. She landed in large formation of snow, causing her head to get stuck in frozen white snow.

The Airbender tried to pull her head out of the hole she had just made and finally succeeded in getting out. Yaanga fell a good few feet from her unfortunate landing place. The Waterbending boy rushed to the clumsy child as she tried to get out herself, Taroka chuckled lightly at Yaanga, "That was… interesting." He laughed at his "warrior" sibling mourning about his precious watchtower of ice and snow like a child that had broken his toy.

"Great, just fucking great. You're an Airbender, Taroka's a Waterbender, together you can just like the time away", insulted Sokka as he inspected the damages. Yaanga gasped excitedly at the fact that had passed Sokka's non-silent mouth.

"You're a Waterbender?"

"Well, I mean, yeah, but not yet", Taroka stuttered, trying to sort out the thoughts flashing through his mind. How this girl made him feel? Her innocence was starting to get annoying and her perkiness was becoming a ring and a buzz in his ears. Then it was the monotone voice woman to the rescue.

"All right", Gran-Gran said, "that's enough, play. It's time for work, Taroka." Once they were out of earshot, Kanna spoke, "Don't put all your hopes into this girl, child."

"I know, Gran-Gran, but I got a feeling that she's filled with wisdom. She might be able to teach me more about Waterbending", countered the Waterbender looking down at the short woman. They both looked back at the children and bender; seeing them try to get her staff off her own tongue. Taroka was slightly embarrassed by this and gave a nervous chuckle to his grandmother, 'Please let her be a good teacher for me.'

**Meanwhile on Zuka's Ship**

"Again", commanded the old Firebender. Zuka blow fire from both fists at two soldiers like a two headed dragon as she jumped over the two whom bended fire back never removing her concentration. To the untrained eye, it would have looked perfectly executed but to the trained eyes of Iroh, it was improper. The old man sighed in disappointment while getting up from his spot away from the scene and proclaimed sternly, "No. Power from Firebending comes from the _**breath**_. Not the _**muscles**_." Iroh's niece was becoming frustrated he could tell. Her eyes filled with the inner fire and her nose scrunched in annoyance. However she needed to hear this speech… again, "The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends passed your limbs and comes out as fire. Get it right this time."

Zuka growled at her uncle in protest, "Enough, I've been doing this segment all day. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready for it."

Though she was only fifteen years in age, she still struck the hearts and souls of every soldier in the ship with fright. Her voice was venomous as she spat the words. She could practically feel the fear burning out of their armor.

Iroh disagreed with her, still, "No, Princess, you are impatient. You have yet to cover your basics. DRILL AGAIN!" Zuka growled once more like enraged dragon than an anger teenager and through a large fireball at one of the tutors pushing him away all the way to the bow of the boat.

"The Sages say that the Avatar has to be the last Airbender. He must be over hundred years old by now, that is plenty of time to master all four of the elements. I'll need more than just basic Firebending, if I'm going to take him down. You have to teach me the fucking advanced set." Zuka rarely used curses but she was using them now out of her anger. Neither Benders' glares wavered from each other. Silence blanketed the deck of the boat and tension grew between them.

Iroh broke the silence with an irritated sigh, "Very well." The youth smiled at first, "but first, I must finish my roast duck."Zuka made a look of disgust as she watched Iroh eat his cooked bird then stole some for her. Though Iroh protested she still ate the roast duck.

"I skipped my lunch to come to practice, Uncle", the girl said with a mouthful. "Besides, you stand to lose a few pounds."

**At the Sokka's and Taroka's village**

Sokka was giving one of his famous speeches, "Now men, it is important that you show no fear when facing a Firebender. In the Water Tribe we fight till the last man standing. For without courage, how can we call ourselves men." The children in front of him looked at him dumbly with innocent eyes of blue.

"I gots to go pee", announced a small boy from the back.

"Look, until your fathers come back from the war. They are counting on you to be the men of this tribe and that means no potty breaks!"

The young boy persisted, "But I really have to go." The oldest warrior that stood before them sighed and asked who else needed to go use the facility. When all the little children raised their tiny hands in the sky, he dismissed them.

"Hey, Snowflake", called out Taroka. "Have you seen Yaanga? Gran-Gran said she disappeared over an hour ago." Suddenly the Airbender appeared out of nowhere seeming to look for something. "What are you looking for?"

"The bathroom. But all I found was some yellow snow", said Yaanga doing the potty dance like a child. Both Sokka and Taroka rolled their eyes at the response while the little kids laughed.

"Taroka, get her out of here", demanded Sokka. "This is a meeting for warriors only." Then they saw that the children were using Rudy as a slide landing in a pile of snow. Taroka smiled at the grins and happy expression on the kids' faces while Yaanga giggled as Sokka went to grab his spear. "Stop it, all of you. What is wrong with you? There is no time for fun and games when there's a war going on."

Yaanga kept her grin on and raised a brow, "What are you talking about? What war?" Sokka and Taroka looked at the young girl with ridiculous looks of disbelief.

"Your joking, right", asked the Waterbender in confusion. Yaanga's eyes wonder from the older boys to the black and white figure.

"PENGUIN!" Yaanga shouted at the top of her lungs and used Airbending to run to the fancy creature, leaving the two Water Tribe boys in her dust. How could she not have heard of the war?

**With Yaanga**

White snow covered the ice as she tried to chase four winged penguins toppling over as they ran away. Yaanga was starting to get frustrated in more ways than one. The sounds of their squawking from their furry mouths, but she giggled the frustration away with joyful sounds. She looked up from the snow to see a blue coated boy. "I have a way with the animals watch," and she mimicked the penguin in front of her with joking feelings.

Seeing such acts made Taroka chuckle as she was dragged. "Listen, if you teach me Waterbending I'll help you with Penguin Sledding."

"Okay there's just one teeny tiny thing", said the girl almost sadly. "I'm Airbender. Don't you have other Waterbenders in your tribe that can teach you?" Taroka's smile disappeared from his face as he turned away from her in despair.

"Well, no actually, there isn't. You're looking the South Pole's very last Waterbender." Yaanga gasped in horror and tried to hug him but he pushed her away from him. He never did like hugging that much. Yaanga was like the little sister he never had, probably never will. That could just be a good thing though.

"That's awful. A Waterbender should master Waterbending", she cried rather loudly, as though his hearing was failing him. "Wait, what about the North? There are probably a whole lot of Waterbender that could teach you." Taroka looked back at the Airbender.

"Ya see, Yaanga, we haven't had contact with our sister tribe in a long time. I mean, it's on the other side of the world, not just around the next glacier", countered the Waterbender pessimistically.

"Rudy and I could give you a lift. He is a flying bison after all." He was unsure of this offer; he had never left the home before. The thought of everyone in the tribe being lead by Sokka the Idiotic was the worst idea ever. But then again, when was the last time he did something for himself. Yaanga saw this and said, "Well, you think about it, okay? In the mean time, can teach me how to catch one of these penguins?"

Taroka shrugged. "Alright, watch every closely little one. This is the art of the ancients, observe." He got a fish from his pocket making the penguin go in a riot around them.

**10 minutes later**

The sounds of cries and laughter sounded through the valley as they sped through the snow. Going over snow banks and into caves, Taroka couldn't remember the last time had had this much fun. "I haven't done this kind of stuff since I was a kid", he exclaimed as they entered through another cave.

"You are a kid", laughed the Airbender getting a head start from the Waterbender.

"No I'm not. I'm teenager big difference", interjected Taroka jokingly. They simply laughed like there were no worries in this world at all. How they never wanted this fun to end. But as soon as the two were out of the tunnel the penguins stopped and in front of them stood a monument of a ship lifted by ice. Yaanga looked at the transportation device with wonder and question while walking towards it. "Its Fire Navy ship", the bender of water said, answering an unheard question, "and a damned memory for my people."

The bender of air looked back at the boy before jumping to the deck, "Come on let's go check it out." Taroka protested but she had already made her way to the navigation room of the vessel. With a defeated sigh, he climbed into the ship and slowly drove himself to find the annoyingly happy girl. After a few moments he finally found her, in the weapons room no less. "I don't understand, why would the Fire Nation attack the Water Tribe?" Yaanga's voice was saddened and confused with a bitter word in her voice.

"It's been like this for years", Taroka tried to explain but was cut off quickly.

"Years? I haven't heard of any war about the Fire Nation and you're telling me that this has been going on for years?" Taroka's face was thoughtful, think of some explanation of some kind.

"How long have you been in that ice", he asked.

"I don't know a day or two maybe", she answered.

"I think it might have been more like a hundred years", Yaanga looked at him ridiculously. "Think about it, you have never heard of any war with the Fire Nation and on top of that, you're an Airbender of which no one has seen in a hundred or so years."

"Well, I guess that kinda makes since. But do I honestly look like a 112 year old girl", she said as she put down a random weapon she had picked, suddenly gears were heard and the entryway they came in at was blocked and a flare was launched into the air. "Come on, we have to get out of here." Yaanga grabbed the Waterbender's hand and used Airbending to launch themselves in the air unaware of the smirking gold eyes watching them from a far.


	3. Avatar Returns

_**Avatar Returns**_

The light still shined in the dawn sky of orange and yellow colors, the two benders walked back to the village to find the inhabitance waiting for them. The small children smiled and laughed with carefree joy while the adults glared with anger and stayed silent. Some of the children rushed to the Airbender with open arms and Sokka came forward, pointing an accusing finger at Yaanga. "I knew it", the warrior started, "you signaled the Fire Navy with that flare. You're leading them straight to us, aren't you?"

Taroka stood in front of his adopted brother, "Look, Sokka, Yaanga didn't do anything. It was an accident."

Yaanga pitched in the story slightly uneasy with the glares pointing at her like daggers, "Yeah there was this ship and it was booby trapped and… well." She rubbed her neck with nervousness clear in her voice. "We sorta 'boobyed' right into it."

Gran Gran spoke out with a stern glare in her expression, "Taroka, you shouldn't have gone off on that ship. Now, we could all be in danger." The Waterbender hung his head in shame, how could he have been so stupid as to go into the ship.

"Please", said the Air Nomad, "don't blame him. I'm the one who made him go in. This is all my doing and I'm so, so, so sorry." Taroka glared at the snow under his feet as if it angered him and clutched his hands in a fist.

"Ah ha. So the traitor confesses", spoke the blond haired warrior, "Warriors get away from her. The foreigner is banished from the village." The children obeyed obediently with confusion written on their faces.

That when the dark skinned boy snapped, "Sokka, you're making a mistake. Don't…"

"No", interrupted Sokka, "I'm keeping our promise to Dad. I'm protecting the village from threats like her. Or have you forgotten?" Anger flooded his face, Taroka gritted his teeth. How dare he? Did he think that he didn't know their promise? They both swore to keep the village safe with their lives.

"Yaanga is not the enemy", he was going into his motivational speaker mode again. "Don't you see? She has brought us something that this village hasn't had in a long time, fun."

"Fun", Sokka asked outraged, "We can't fight Firebenders with fun."

Yaanga smiled in innocence, "You should try it some time."

"Get out of our village now", the warrior growled in anger.

"Gran Gran", Taroka begged, "Don't let Sokka do this!"

The old woman sighed, "Taroka, you knew going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka is right and I agree. It is time for the Airbender leaves; she has over stayed her welcome." The Waterbender couldn't believe this, it was an accident. It wasn't like any of them didn't make a mistake at one time in their lives.

"Fine", young man shouted, "Then I'm banished too and you know what? Yaanga and I are going to the North pole to find a Waterbender."

"Would you really choose her or your tribe, your own family?"

Taroka's gaze softened to a mournful stare. Was he going to choose a girl he just met the other day over the people he had known all of his life? He looked the sorrowful eyes that begged him to stay. It broke his heart and what about his promise to his father. He looked down at his wrist where the betrothal necklace was. He would be leaving the home he had known all his life and go to a completely new world. "Taroka", said the younger bender's voice breaking him out of his thoughts, "I don't want to come between you and your family." The blond girl turned around where Rudy stood waiting for his mistress to leave with him.

The Waterbender blinked at the words and turned around, "So wait you're just going to leave? Just like that? Where will you go?"

Yaanga shrugged at him, "I guess I'll go back home and find some more Airbenders." She smiled to herself for a moment and spoke again with a sad giggle at her realization, "Oh wow, I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years. Not looking forward to that." She Airbended her way to the black colored bison's head and said as cheerfully as she could, "It was really nice to meet all of you."

"Let's see your bison fly now air-boy", insulted Sokka sarcastically. Yaanga commanded her large beast but still tired it only stood up. "Thought so."

Suddenly a small girl with hair loops burst into tears and ran to by Taroka's side. Her blue eyes were watering with tears and her voice begged for the sunshine haired girl not to leave. Yaanga tried to fight the frown on her expression from forming, "I'll miss you too, Katara." She had gotten to know all the children's names however their time was short. Taroka looked somewhat angry, how dare she smile at the pain in little Katara's eyes. But he knew better she was trying to be optimistic about all of this. Rudy walked off to their unknown destination and disappeared into the horizon.

Little Katara sighed and walked away from the scene while the oldest of the women walked towards her grandson, "Taroka, I know it hurts now but you'll feel better once…"

"Are you happy now", growled the Waterbender, "There goes my last chance to become a Waterbender." The dark male stomped off to the village leaving a saddened woman with her hair loops blowing in the wind. The warrior and Waterbender both agreed for once that day that they needed to prepare for any Fire Navy ships to arrive. They worked on their weapons and looked out for anything suspicious.

**Next Day/With Yaanga**

The Airbender and bison laid in an ice formation taking a rest from their walking journey from the Tribes camp. The mist covered the environment like thick sheet. Yaanga held her glider in her arms frowning at the thought of leaving them. Rudy roared to his mistress as if to say something, and blonde replied, "I liked him too." Her eyes started to wander from side to side until they landed on a frightening shape. It was hard to see in the mist but it looked like a ship, she gasped, "Oh no, the village!" She got up from her spot on the formation and landed on her feet, "Rudy stay right here!"

**Back at the village**

Sokka and Taroka prepared their armor with drums of war in their ears. They laced their boots and putting on gloves. Taroka sharpened his knives as Sokka put his war paint on. Sokka put his boomerang in his pack while Taroka slipped his knives on his belt after tightening his mother's necklace on his wrist. "I'm sorry", said Sokka, "I shouldn't have pressured you to stay." Taroka merely grunted in responds, it didn't matter if he left he would have chosen to stay anyway.

**Zuka's ship**

There was no doubt in her mind that she had finally found her prize. Zuka was dressed into her armor making her look like a young male instead of the woman she was becoming. She at times got annoyed that they dressed her, the Firebender was fully capable. However, the concubines needed some way out of the harem from the belly of the ship. They talked amongst themselves about the men on the ship and whether or not they enjoyed the sessions they had with them.

Once the helmet was on, the women stayed for a little longer to make conversation. "Why don't you ever wear a more feminine uniform your highness", asked one of the whores. "It would show off more of your curves than the males."

"Because in this place I am respected and must look menacing", she paused at their confused faces. "And besides there's more protection in a masculine armor than feminine one."

**Back at the village**

The village was silent and the only sound projected was from the dying flames that crackled and huffed out gray smoke from its ashes. A few of the women gathered around it for its fading warmth. Sokka stood by his brother looking for anything in the forest of water vapors. Their eyes scanned patiently around the area. The village was filled with worry and anxiousness as they followed with their normal routine.

Suddenly, a loud noise came flowing the air like a serpent-shark, the ground rumbled and shook the frozen floor. It cracked the great wall of snow and ice under the two young men's feet, Sokka looked at the tower of snow as it fell from its prime. 'Oh man!' The villagers panic and screamed in terror as the vibrations got stronger and the sounds got louder. The two young men saw a silhouette of a large ship coming towards the village through the ice like spear through a fish.

Sokka and Taroka retreated to the village to help the others to safety. The metal water craft trampled through not caring what it crushed. The tyranny ceased with terrifying silence the two men of the tribe took in a breath as they saw the bow open forward. Nearly everyone coward in fear except for the Waterbender while taking a step forward towards the mist covered opening, there was no way he was going let this new enemy hurt anyone in their home.

The smoke started to clear, showing three figures standing proud and tall. Well one was actually much shorter like he around their age or younger. The mist vanished all together and the figures were unveiled, most definitely. The shortest stepped forward, his face was shielded by the shadows of the helmet, and he and his men wore the traditional Fire Nation uniform of reds and blacks. Taroka and Sokka stood firm with protective glares to the intruders. As they all walked towards the warrior tribe, the Waterbender noticed something about the small one. He walked strangely more feminine then the older men, what a weird little boy.

Sokka didn't wait for a sign of peace or a word to be spoken at the exchange, the white Water Tribe member simply charged with a roaring battle cry. He charged at the small one with a club over his head, excepting to get him easy. However, the little Fire Nation person clutched the club and threw it to the side, then kicked Sokka clear in the snow before moving on to the rest of the Tribe. Taroka held out his knive in both hands waiting for the apparent leader of the group. The unwanted guest wasn't much shorter than him (only to his chin); the young man in front of him cocked his head so he saw what was behind him. Suddenly the person spoke in a feminine voice, "Where are you hiding him?"

Taroka's eyes grew large; this person in front of him was a girl. His brother was beaten by a Fire Nation woman. 'Impressive', he thought to himself as he looked down at the young girl. "Who the hell are you talking about?"

"He'd be about hundred years old", she trailed off, "master of all four elements." The entire village stayed silent and sacred behind the two's exchange. She brought her palm to his face almost threateningly and sparked fire in a fist, "Look, I know you're hiding him. It would be easier if you just give him to me." She was demanding that was for sure, but something about her made him want to get to know her. Her, a Firebending girl of the Fire Nation, the Nation that killed his mother.

Suddenly Sokka's cry came to the air like siren in another attempt to attack her again only succeeding in falling into his dark skinned Waterbender. Sokka through his trusty boomerang at the young girl and missed, one of the small children tossed the non bender his whale tooth spear proclaiming, "Show no fear!" Sokka, with his washed off paint, charged to the bored girl like he would pierce through her head until she broke the spear in half and hit him in-between the legs causing him to fall on the ground in pain. Suddenly, the forgotten weapon flew back to village hit the mysterious bender and knocking off her helmet.

Taroka dropped the knife he was about to launch at her as his eyes landed on her pale white face. Her left eye was scarred but she was beautiful with it on. Her eyes were glazed with honey and gold, even as they filled to the brim with anger, the gleams and sparkles in those golden orbs made a treasure of her alone. Her dark brown was held up high and proud in a ponytail as the loose hairs blew in the wind. Taroka's thoughts were shattered by a simple word from the girl he was staring, "Bastard."

Suddenly a four winged penguin with a blonde haired girl on his back, determination flashed in her eyes and her smile never faltered. The children cheered as their banished friend covered the Fire Nation warrior with the frozen water on the ground. Taroka never took his eyes off the scar faced girl in front of them all. Though his thoughts were interrupted by the preppy voice of the hundred year old Airbender, "Hi Sokka. Hi Taroka!"

"Hey Yaanga", replied the other blond in a bored manner, "Thanks for coming." They looked back at the teenage girl getting into a Firebending position, her soldiers spread across the snow around them. The older girl looked ready for a fight if given one to fight by an opponent, the drums of war were beating again in their ears. The cold breeze blow through their hair like wind chimes with no sounds. Their eyes met, a cold golden glare to determined gray eyes, Yaanga slapped her glider on the ground to blowing snow in every direction like a messy tornado.

"You looking for me", she said with a cocky grin on her expression, while the Firebender female were a look of confusion on her pale marked face as the snow melted.

"You're the Airbender", Zuka asked, this couldn't be the Airbender. "You're the Avatar, but you're just a kid!" Everyone looked at the battle with fearful eyes and surprised gasps. 'They truly didn't know about this girl being the Avatar', thought Zuka. They started to circle one another as she ranted to the Airbender, "I've spent years waiting for this moment. Training, meditating, which I hate to do but must. You are a mere child!"

Her cockiness was still plastered on, "well you're not that much older than me. How old are you anyway? Fifteen?" She hit the right button for a beating; Zuka raised her arms as the fire in her veins coursed out of her fists and at Yaanga. The fire almost hit one of the children only to be stopped by the girl who made the fireball. 'That was close', the Firebender mentally sighed, and she only wanted the Avatar, not for anyone to get hurt.

"If I come with you will you promise to leave the village alone", asked Yaanga with worry on her face.

"Of course", she answered with no hesitation in her voice.

The soldiers grabbed the Avatar practically dragging her to the ship. Zuka starred off as they left, thinking to herself. She was finally going to come home after all this time. She was going to get the love of her father for the first time ever. Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice of protest to what was happening, "You can't do this!" Zuka turned to the warrior still baring his war paint, "Yaanga has done nothing to you." She merely took one last glance of the man and left heading inside the Ship. Before the boat's bow closed Zuka turned to the unknown warrior, she saw the anger in his eyes but something she could quite put her finger on. Her face was blank at first then changed to a sad glance almost anguish of what she was doing.

**A few hours later**

The sounds of the morning arose once more and with mournful air and no hope. Sun looked down upon them with sympathy, lowering its ray at them. The dead fire still cracked and blowing smoke. Half the tribe's buildings were either melted or fallen over; no one was burned, thanks to the attack by the Firebenders. The small girl wondered around the village trying to find the tribe's local Waterbender with curiosity in her eyes. Finally her sapphire orbs landed on the older boy playing with a small bubble of water that morphed into shapes. "Taroka", asked Katara, "are you okay?" Taroka dropped the orb of water and stood above the small girl.

"I'm fine. I should be asking you that question", he referred to the attack of the Firebenders. "You were almost burned by that flame."

"She saved me from it", spoke the small child with her doe eyed gaze.

Taroka smiled at Katara as he patted her head, "Yeah. Thank Tui and La, Yaanga saved you from…"

"No, not Yaanga, the other girl. The one with the scar", Katara interrupted. Taroka looked at the future healer with wide eyes in disbelief. She was praising the girl that tried to attack Yaanga? "She stopped it then threw another one at Yaanga. That was cool."

Taroka looked down at her as though she had grown another head, "She tried to kill her." Katara shrugged and left the Waterbender to his thoughts once more. He looked on as the five year old passed. The dark skinned Waterbender thought for a few moments once more playing with the small bubble. This stranger saved one of the children? Why? What did she have to gain? Sokka suddenly came into view. "We have to save her", the Waterbender proclaimed grabbing his adopted brother's arms with bruising force.

"Taroka…"

"I know you don't exactly like her. But just get it through your thick fucking head, that she's on our side and that if we don't save her no one will."

"Taroka, shut the hell up", yelled the warrior to his annoying bending brother, "Are you going to come with me to get back at your stupid girlfriend or not?" It was then that Taroka looked down at the non-bender's hand filled with rope and weapons and then gave him a confused painted face. "I know that everyone has wanted the Avatar for a century and getting back at your little Firebending girlfriend is just the bonus." The Waterbender glared at him with annoyance and murder in his eyes, "Okay, okay, she's not your girlfriend."

"And where do you think you're going", spoke an old monotone wind from behind. The two men turned around to find Gran Gran smiling with sleeping furs in hand that stretched out to her two grandsons. "You'll need these; you have a long journey ahead you both." The old woman stepped forward to the Waterbender, "You have brought back the hope of the Avatar to the world my little Waterbender." The aged woman walked to Taroka with covered arms then went to the warrior, "And you my little warrior. Be nice to your brother." The young blonde simply rolled his eyes at the comment while they embraced, "Yaanga the Avatar is the world's only hope. The two of you found her for a reason, now your destinies and hers are intertwined with hers."

Taroka looked to his snow skinned brother with an unsure glance then turned the small canoe behind them, "There is no way that your crappy canoe is going to get us to that Fire Navy ship." Sokka protested to his brother saying that it was perfectly safe… until the Waterbender dropped a small snow ball on the base of the boat. A roar came through the air like smoke from in front of them, with a curious Rudy standing above a snow bank. Mischievous flashes glittered in his eyes as Taroka laid his gaze on the beast.

**Zuka's ship**

The banished princess stood tall as the Avatar left her site. She stood with the staff in her hands, admiring the craftsmanship as though it were a blade. Then walked to her quarters beside her uncle speaking to one another. However her mind was back at the small village south of them now. How the fury in both warriors eyes were so different. How they looked at her so differently? The blond glared with hatred and rage while other came with different kind of hate and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on it. "How do you know she is going to come to your quarters, Niece?"

"If she is as predictable as I think then she will either wait for her precious warrior to save her or come to get her staff", she said after being taken out of her thoughts with a small shake of her head. From her peripheral vision, saw a small smirk on the old man face, "what?"

"You're thinking about him, aren't you", asked the old man with a knowing smirk. The young princess looked at her uncle with confusion; he knew she thought of him every day. Why would he ask that? Iroh simply starred at the young woman as her face turned confused, 'Aw youth.' He mentally cooed at Zuka's clueless expression, and spoke, "you know the little warrior with the beaded strands of hair…" Her golden eyes widen with utter shock drawn on the pale paper on her face. Immediately the Avatar was called escape, "you better go."

**With Taroka and Sokka**

"Come on you big old sky bison", ordered Taroka as he tried to coax Rudy into flying like Yaanga had said. Sokka lay back behind him with a skeptical look upon his face doing nothing to assist the cause. "We have to get to Yaanga before something bad happens."

"Go. Fly. Soar", spoke the snow skinned warrior practically drooling out sarcasm in his voice. "Up. Ascend. Elevate." Taroka rolled his blue pearls at the comments spoken from his adopted brother. He still tried to coax Rudy into journeying to a faster pace. "What was it that kid said", Sokka asked himself, "Yeeha. No. Up high. Naha. Wooho. Umm…Yip Yip." Suddenly the black furred beast roared and swam through the water at a great pace and slapped his tail on the water causing a great splash. Suddenly, Rudy was in the air soaring through making Sokka and Taroka cling to whatever was accessible to their grasp. His eyes were wide with wonderment and amazement, "That crazy girl was right this thing can fly!"

**Zuka's Ship**

Yaanga ran as her wrists were bound together, she panted and sweat seemed to drip from her forehead in beads. How did she ever get into a situation like this? All she did was piss off a few guards and she needed her staff like a young child needs there blanket. Her gray eyes sparkled with determination while she sped her feet fast to find her things. All of a sudden, the Avatar was met with three more soldiers holding their weapons to her before asking rather naively, "Have you seen my staff?" Just as the soldiers took a step forward to charge her, she flashed passed them like firework, "Thanks anyway!"

The young Avatar rushed to an opening only to meet another Firebending solider ready to strike at him like a cobra-wasp. Using her Airbending, Yaanga back flipped over the solider using his helmet to cut the binding around her wrist while bring the older, technically younger, man down to his back.

Frantically, Yaanga looked from room to room on the level she was on. She opened one room to reveal a slumbering old man snoring on his red sheeted bed. The Airbender slowly closed the door as she whispered an apology to the elder and continued her search for her prized possession. She finally met with a open room with a familiar object standing against a table. "My staff", the girl exclaimed joyfully with her optimistic smile and rushed towards it. When the blonde child embraced it she heard the door shot closed.

"Well, well, looks like I underestimated you", said a dark voice from behind her. Yaanga turned to find her captor in the way of her only escape in a Firebending position. The older girl looked at her with a heated challenge in her eyes, in the lighting of the room she was even darker and more menacing looking then in normal lighting. Her own eyes begged for mercy and escape but the Firebender never wavered from her pose.

Then the fight began, though it was every one-sided, with a grunt Zuka launched a blast of fire towards the Avatar only to be dodge into a corner. Yaanga breathed deeply and repeatedly with eyes the size of the sun, fear practically dipped from her sweaty forehead. Zuka sent another inferno at the twelve year old only to be dodged each time. Soon the younger girl was right behind her dodging every fiery punch and kick the Firebender threw at her. Finally they met each other face to scarred face and yet she still was on the defense Airbending and running away from the fiery ribbon that constantly chased her.

Finally Yaanga wrapped the banished princess in a Fire Nation tapestry postponing her chances of burning her. Quickly, the preteen grabbed her staff holding it almost mockingly at her until her opponent freed herself from the bounds of cloth. The Avatar and banished princess began to circle one another until Yaanga used her Airbending like rag doll with her own mattress and fled before the fiery female could attack her once more.

The Air nomad found herself in the master control room, her excitement was too much to contain as she ran out the door not once being halted. Yaanga through the staff before it became a glider. Once she was on the strange and ancient device she thought she was home free until her captor grabbed her ankle in mid-air. She gasped at the contact she lost control of her glider sending them into a crash landing on the deck of the boat. The young princess growled in annoyance, if this twerp wasn't important to her banishment she would have had the bitch let her go.

Quickly, the Firebender growled as she got to her feet with a glare adoring her face. Then she looked up in amazement seeing the great flying beast as it seemed to prance on the winds in the air. Confusion planted itself on Zuka's face as she witnessed the entrance of the new guests. "What the fuck is that thing?"

"Rudy", the Avatar exclaimed with an over happy smile on her face. Then turned back to the fight between the two filled with gusts of wind and blazes of fire. Yaanga was now on the railing, losing her balance and concentration while her opponent shot fire knocking her into the icy cold water below.

"Yaanga", exclaimed the two Water Tribe boys while they saw the lifeless looking body fall to the blue blanket named the sea. Even the Banished princess was about to scream out for the Avatar to come back. She had only wanted to stop her, not kill her. Suddenly a glow came the water and there rose a cyclone of water rose to the ship with a glowing blond in its path bending the community of the ship away. "Whoa", was all the two uttered when they watched this amazing show.

Soon the show was over and Yaanga lay understandably exhausted on the metal deck. "Yaanga", yelled out the blond warrior crouching down next to her, "You okay?"

The twelve year old girl only groaned out, "I dropped my staff."

"I've got it", volunteered the Waterbender, rushing out for the wooden antique. Suddenly, a pale hand grabbed hold of the staff; Zuka was still fighting on not wanting to lose to a child. For the first time since earlier that day, their eyes met in a clash of opposites. Blue water met golden flames as they looked into each others' eyes. To one another their eyes looked so much different up close, softer, warmer, brighter, maybe even kinder. Even the scar bared on Zuka's face seemed less threatening. Taroka was tempted to help her up but did no such thing he simply pulled away erupted from the princess and ran back to Rudy. Waterbending clumsily to freeze the Fire Nation soliders from coming anywhere near him or his friends. "Yip Yip", he called out before the troops could get to them.

Iroh stepped out just in time to find a black flying shadow glide through the air. He rushed to his dangling niece with determination in her eyes, "Uncle, we have to shoot them down!" Soon the two Firebending relatives faced one another standing up and Firebended a large blast of fire only to be deflected to an iceberg by a wind. The avalanche rolled on to the ship's bow with stopping force landing in front of an angry young princess.

"Good news for the Fire Lord. The Fire Nation's greatest threat of which we had fear for over a hundred years", preached out the old man, "is just a little kid."

Zuka turned to his uncle with persistence in her eyes, "That kid, Uncle, is responsible for all of this. I won't underestimate again." The banished princess looked back at the crew and shouted angrily to them, "Dig the ship out and follow them." Then she saw that the men were still unfreezing themselves, "As soon as you're done." The fifteen year old glared up at the sky with an ignited fire in her.

**With the gang**

It was almost dawn as Rudy flew through the sky the water seemed golden under the dying sun. The clouds were cotton in the sky separating and moving at a slow pace. Taroka watched in amazement as he asked the Avatar the questions rushing through his head, "How the hell did you do that? That was by far the greatest Waterbending I have ever seen!" Even as the wonderment of attention was on Yaanga she felt moody and sad, so unlike her. So Yaanga shrugged as her answer.

Sokka looked at the Avatar's saddened form with a wondering mind, "Why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar?" The blond girl hung her head at the question only to have a sigh escape her pale lips.

"Because I never wanted to be." Silence blanketed the air around them, a cloud's shadow wonders over them fitting the mood. Lights hid behind the clouds as if scared to come out and play.

"But, Yaanga", interjected Taroka, "The world has been waiting for the Avatar to return and put an end to this pointless war."

"And how, pray tell, am I going to do that", asked Yaanga.

"Well according to legend", stated Sokka, "you have to master, Water, Earth, then Fire, right?" The girl of the three nodded mutely as they stared at one another. Taroka smiled at an idea that appeared in his head.

"Yeah, if we go to the North Pole, master Waterbending", shot the Waterbender before turning to his adopted brother, "and I'm almost positive that you'll be able to knock some Firebender on the way." This made Sokka smirk proudly, not getting much action at the village. "Then we are in this together."

"Okay", smiled the once again preppy Airbender, "but before we get into any Waterbending we have some serious matters to attend to." Taroka looked at the map of which was placed at the floor of the saddle with seriousness in her eyes. "First, we need to go here", she pointed to a section of the Earth kingdom, "here", she pointed to an Air temple, "and here", and last she pointed some small islands.

"What's there", asked the dark skinned boy.

"There we're ride the hopping llamas and here we'll ride on the backs of giant koi fish", Taroka smacked his forehead annoyed as Yaanga planned a vacation around the world doing ridiculous things from place to place. This was going to be a long journey.


End file.
